If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

DIYC is in need of your help. If you have received help or insight from anything here at DIYC or you enjoy the site please consider supporting DIYC with a Supporting Membership. As little as 20 dollars per year will help ensure DIYC is here for years to come and continue to be the largest and most helpful Christmas Light Community in the World!
You can learn more about Supporting Memberships by Clicking Here

Re: Vixen Software Crashing Show!!!

So I've been running a post-christmas sequence that has been running flawlessly for the last two weeks now. I've disconnected the cable for the USB FM Transmitter and I suspect it was an issue with static electricity and the cable for the transmitter. I use a USB over Cat5e extension since the FM Transmitter is in a box on the roof below the dipole antenna, and since my old show computer crashed I was using a different computer in my office and ran a 50ft UTP cable from my server room across the carpet floor to the USB dongle and plugged into the computer. I started to notice the issue happening more when I walked near the cable, but it would still crash even when I wasn't home or anywhere near the cable.

I think this would explain why I never found anything in the event logs and why it would randomly happen.

Re: Vixen Software Crashing Show!!!

I've used Vixen 2.1.4 for years and have never had this problem. Something that may help you is to compile all your sequences using the same profile. Then when you build your program, instead of having each song re-open its profile, set the program to use the profile instead. Then the profile gets opened only once per show -- which reduces required computer resources, file locks, etc.

Another thing that helps is never to have the visual preview running. That's a tool you might use during sequencing sessions, but there's no reason to have it running during the show as it only uses up the computer's resources and bogs things down.

There was mention about redoing your audio files and that's a good idea, too. Redo them using the same bit rate for all of them -- again, easier on the computer's resources.

My show runs automatically every night and I don't even have to be home. The Dell computer boots itself up at 4pm, powers on the mains to the show, powers on the FM transmitter and the audio compressor, starts Vixen, the Vixen scheduler starts the show at 4:30, the show runs continuously until 10:30 p.m., then runs the daily signoff sequence. At 10:45pm the computer shuts down the mains power, the FM transmitter and compressor and then shuts itself off. It's a beautiful thing.

http://digwdf.com/store/The DIGWDF Store has closed. Thanks to everyone who supported us through the nearly seven years we were open!
The store will remain open for downloading documentation and other files.

Re: Vixen Software Crashing Show!!!

Originally Posted by dirknerkle

I've used Vixen 2.1.4 for years and have never had this problem. Something that may help you is to compile all your sequences using the same profile. Then when you build your program, instead of having each song re-open its profile, set the program to use the profile instead. Then the profile gets opened only once per show -- which reduces required computer resources, file locks, etc.

Another thing that helps is never to have the visual preview running. That's a tool you might use during sequencing sessions, but there's no reason to have it running during the show as it only uses up the computer's resources and bogs things down.

There was mention about redoing your audio files and that's a good idea, too. Redo them using the same bit rate for all of them -- again, easier on the computer's resources.

My show runs automatically every night and I don't even have to be home. The Dell computer boots itself up at 4pm, powers on the mains to the show, powers on the FM transmitter and the audio compressor, starts Vixen, the Vixen scheduler starts the show at 4:30, the show runs continuously until 10:30 p.m., then runs the daily signoff sequence. At 10:45pm the computer shuts down the mains power, the FM transmitter and compressor and then shuts itself off. It's a beautiful thing.

I've been following this dirknerkle guidance for automated startup, etc - and can definitely second the statement 'it's a beautiful thing'!